We now understand better than ever how exposure to early adversity affects the developing brains and bodies of children. It affects areas like the nucleus accumbens, the pleasure and reward center of the brain that is implicated in substance dependence. It inhibits the prefrontal cortex, which is necessary for impulse control and executive function, a critical area for learning. And on MRI scans, we see measurable differences in the amygdala, the brain's fear response center. So there is concrete neurologic evidence why those exposed to high doses of adversity are more likely to engage in high risk behaviour and suffer worse health outcomes. 

To learn more about this enlightening research see Dr. Nadine Burke Harris' TED Talk: 

https://www.ted.com/talks/nadine_burke_harris_how_childhood_trauma_affects_health_across_a_lifetime?language=en

Did you know that today (September 9) is International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day?

Spend a few minutes today learning more about FASD and how it can be prevented. A number of great articles and resources on the topic from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health can be found at the links below. You can also follow all the conversations and discussions on Twitter by checking out #FASDAwarenessDay!

• http://camhblog.com/2014/09/08/every-day-should-be-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-awareness-day/
• http://www.camheducation.ca/2014/09/09/lib-fasd-awareness/
• http://www.camh.ca/en/hospital/about_camh/newsroom/CAMH_in_the_headlines/stories/Pages/Guilt-shame-and-redemption-coping-with-Fetal-Alcohol-Spectrum-Disorder.aspx

It is not uncommon for patients to have multiple comorbidities, including those that are physical as well as mental in origin. As most of us would guess, one illness can often have an impact on other aspects of a patient's life, including making management of other medical conditions more complex, and increasing the risk of developing further health issues.  This sort of relationship has been seen between seizure disorders like #epilepsy and psychiatric disorders. 

In the resource, "Managing Psychiatric Illness in Patients With Epilepsy" by Sowmya C. Puvvada, Satyanarayana Kommisetti, & Abhishek Reddy, readers can learn how to distinguish between features of epilepsy and signs/symptoms of common mental health conditions (such as substance abuse disorders, sleep disorders, and anxiety), discover the links between seizures and mental illness, and learn the preferred management and treatment strategies for depression and psychosis among those with seizure disorders along with gaining other clinical pearls.

"Patients who have epilepsy have a higher incidence of psychiatric illness than the general population—at a prevalence of 60%. Establishing a temporal association and making a psychiatric diagnosis can be vexing, but awareness of potential comorbidities does improve the clinical outcome. As this article discusses, psychiatric presentations and ictal disorders can share common pathology and exacerbate one another. Their coexistence often results in frequent hospitalization, higher treatment cost, and drug-resistant seizures. Risk factors for psychopathology in people who have epilepsy include psychosocial stressors, genetic factors, early age of onset of seizures, and each ictal event.   Among ictal disorders, temporal-lobe epilepsy confers the highest rate of comorbidity" (Current Psychiatry).

A must watch! In this 2 minute video mental health advocate Becca Calla, who has been diagnosed with Tourette's, OCD, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and ADHD, talks about her experiences with stigma and mentalillness. She also helps to demonstrate just how important receiving love and support is, and encourages us all to rethink our own perceptions of mental illness and take action to eliminate the stigma and stereotypical views of those suffering with mental health issues.

"Becca proves that her mental illnesses do not define her or will stop her from achieving her goals ... "Ask anyone that knows me now. I'm the happiest girl because I know I'm getting the right support and help I need.""